Estonia changes its constitution. This hits mainly the Russian minority

On Wednesday, the president of Estonia, Alar Karis, signed an amendment to the Constitution which deprives citizens of countries outside the European Union of the right to participate in local elections. This change mainly concerns the Russian number in Estonia.

On March 26, the Estonian Parliament voted this amendment in consequence to increasing concerns about national safety following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This decision will affect around 80,000 Russians surviving in Estonia who have so far had the right to vote in local elections but not in parliamentary elections.

President Karis' message highlighted that the intent of the amendment is to “protect the unity of the Estonian society”. At the same time, it has been pointed out that those affected by this change should not feel excluded from society or respect themselves as a threat to State security.

The relations between Moscow and the capitals of the Baltic states, Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius, have long been deteriorating as tensions between Russia and the West increase. Estonia and Lithuania have large Russian-speaking minorities, which sometimes stay in conflict with national governments, which raises concerns that Moscow can usage these divisions to destabilise these countries.

After Estonia regained independency in 1991, about a 3rd of its population was Russian-speaking, including families that emigrated from another russian republics. They did not gain citizenship due to deficiency of household ties with Estonia. In order to get citizenship, applicants must pass the Estonian language exam.

The introduction of this amendment has sparked different reactions in Estonian society. any politicians and human rights experts expressed concerns that this could lead to further marginalisation of the Russian number and deepen social divisions. On the another hand, supporters of change argue that they are essential to guarantee national safety and safeguard the sovereignty of Estonia.

In an global context, Estonia's decision falls within the broader trend of tightening its policy towards Russia in the Baltic region. Countries specified as Latvia and Lithuania are besides taking steps to reduce Russian influence in their countries, which responds to Moscow's aggressive actions in the region.

It is worth noting that the issue of electoral rights for national minorities in Estonia has been the subject of debate for many years. There have already been voices calling for restrictions on these rights in the past, but only the current geopolitical circumstances have prompted the authorities to take concrete action in this direction.

The change in the Estonian constitution could have long-term consequences for social inclusion and relations between the majority and national minorities in the country. It will be crucial to monitor how the fresh rules will affect citizens' regular lives and whether they will contribute to greater safety or exacerbate existing social tensions.